Continuity Errors
In this article I have compiled a list of continuity errors: when facts are stated then contradicted later; that appear in Red Dwarf. Not all of these errors are important but they are errors nonetheless. Red Dwarf actually became quite well known for its errors. This may or may not be complete so if anyone comes across any other errors please add them to this list. List Kryten Error In the Series II episode "Kryten", Kryten states that "the girls (the female crew of the Nova 5) could hardly stop themselves from jumping up and down." This of course, was a false statement seeings how the "girls" were dead. But in the Series IV episode "Camille", Kryten states that he is programmed never to lie. This begs the question of how he was able to state the previously mentioned false statement. Solution It could be that due to either the grief of his masters and mistresses dying, his being left all alone for to long, the distress of having no one to serve or any combination of the three, Kryten's systems malfunction and he believed that the "girls" were actually alive and were "jumping up and down" with excitement. The Crew Error In the Series I episode "Confidence and Paranoia", Lister stated that out of the 169 crew members on board Red Dwarf he ranked #169. But in the Series IV episode "Justice", Rimmer is tried with 1,167 counts of 2nd degree murder: stated by the Justice Computer to be the crew of Red Dwarf. Solution Some sources say that there were 169 crew members aboard Red Dwarf, but that were also 1,000 civilians aboard. If you exclude Rimmer and Lister that does make 1,167 passengers. This would seem to indicate the those actually involved in mining for example, rather then maintenance staff like Lister and Rimmer, are classified as civilians. Rimmer's Father Error In the Series I episode "Future Echoes", Rimmer stated that his father committed suicide. But in the Series II episode "Better Than Life", Rimmer receives a letter from his mother stating that his father passed away "peacefully in his sleep". Solution The episode never explicitly says that it was a successful suicide attempt, just that "rather nasty suicide business." Most attempts in real life are unsuccessful. The Year Error In the Series II episode "Thanks for the Memory", Rimmer described Captain Hollister as "Mister Fat Bastard, 2044". But in the Series II episode "Stasis Leak" (the episode after it), the clock in the bathroom (before the crew were wiped out) says "08:33, 2077". Seeings how Captain Hollister is clearly not over 50 this begs an interesting temporal question. Solution Rimmer could just be picking a date out at random in a bit of hyperbole. Lister's Education Error In the Series I episode "Future Echoes", Lister stated that he had never read a book. But in the Series II episode "Kryten", Rimmer stated that Lister never read a book, and Lister denied it. Solution It is probable that Lister was denying the fact that he had never read a book so Rimmer wouldn't think was so stupid. The Acccident Error In the Series I episode "Me²", Lister reads Rimmer's diary which states that "Gazpacho Soup Day" — November 25th — was six weeks before the crew was wiped out. But in the Series II episode "Stasis Leak", Lister states that they (he, Rimmer and The Cat) had travelled back to March; three weeks before the crew was wiped out. Solution Technopeasant - fire away! The Cat's Education Error In a Series VII episode, The Cat said that because there was no one else around, he had to teach himself. But in the Series I episode "The End", The Cat says that he remembers Frankenstein "from kiddy school". Solution ... Lister's and Rimmer's Appendixes Error In the Series II episode "Thanks for the Memory", Rimmer states that because Lister gave him eight months of his memory he had his appendix out twice - one for Lister and one for himself. But in the Series VI episode "Legion", Legion removes Lister's appendix...again. Solution ... Playing Pool With Planets Error In the Series IV episode "White Hole", Lister played "pool with planets". When he succeeded in closing the white hole, the timeline they existed in ceased to exist. But in the Series V episode "Angels and Demons", Lister said that he played pool with planets. Category:Behind the Scenes Category:Browse